5 tips for getting the most out of visiting King Richard’s Faire
New England's largest renaissance fair opens for its 38th season Saturday, Aug. 31 at 10:30 a.m.
New England’s longest-running renaissance fair is back for another season of jousting, juggling, and costumed 16th-century fun.
King Richard’s Faire, which has brought costumed merriment to the woods of Carver, Mass. since 1982, opens its doors this Saturday, Aug. 31, and will be open most weekends through Sunday, Oct. 20. There’s plenty of new reasons to visit this year, including contortionist duo The Accidental Acrobats, specialty cocktails, and a new King Richard, ruling over “Carvershire” with his bride Queen Anne and visiting princesses. And then there’s the old standbys, like the thrice-daily jousting exhibitions, whip master Jacques Ze Whipper (played by WBUR anchor/reporter Jack Lepiarz), and a raucous mud pit.
“When you walk through our doors, you’re transported back to the 16th century,” said Faire general manager Aimee Shapiro Sedley, whose parents first started King Richard’s Faire in the midwest in 1972 before moving the show to Carver in 1982. “We have eight stages with performers going all day, from juggling to acrobatics to aerialists. We have exotic animals, part of a wonderful, educational show. We have three different jousting shows. You can spend the whole day here being entertained.”
For those who have never experienced the Faire before, here are some quick tips on how to make the most of your time there.
Characters greet guests at the start of the Faire.
No costume? No problem!
Sedley said that most people don’t bother with donning a costume when visiting, given that there are plenty of professional performers in period dress to go around. For those who want to play dress-up but don’t have authentic renaissance garb in the closet at home, there is hope.
“One of our artisans is a costumer, and she rents costumes every day,” Sedley said. “Anyone who wants to come and get dressed up, both kids and adults.”
Check out the big cats
A regular feature at King Richard’s Faire, “Big Cats of the World” showcases a different mix of large felines each year.“This year we have a lynx, a black panther, and three lion cubs that are so cute,” Sedley said. “[Our performer] brings them out and talks about how to keep them safe and how to let them be ambassadors in the wild.”
Jousting is a must-watch
The fairgrounds house dozens of costume performers, but one definite highlight is the jousting exhibitions. You’ll have three chances to watch jousting showcases each day, and each performance is different.
“The first show is a contest between the jousters, another is a showcasing of skills, the third is a fight to the death,” Sedley said.
A knight rides toward a jousting championship, as hundreds watch.
The Faire has some adults-only fun as well
King Richard’s Faire offers fun for all ages, but it also has events that cater to the 18+ crowd. Beyond the alcoholic beverages, there are knife-throwing and ax-throwing stations that are aimed at adults each day. And while most of the themed weekends offer all-ages fun, like the popular Harry Potter Fan Fest weekend on Sept. 21, there are also some slightly risqué events that aren’t for the younger set. On Saturday, Sept. 7, the fair will host a cleavage contest, with prizes for most buxom wench, most daring neckline, and most authentic 16th century renaissance dress revealing cleavage. And on a “Game of Thrones” day on Sept. 29, both the costume contest and the anything-goes “battle for the throne” will be 18+.
Hungry? Grab a turkey leg
King Richard’s Faire boasts a large, varied menu that caters to many tastes, but the quintessential menu item is the giant turkey leg, which Sedley said pairs well with an ear of corn and a beer.
“We serve giant, spit-roasted, two-pound legs,” Sedley said. “We go through them so quickly, we have to order them an entire year in advance to grow the birds in order.”
(King Richard’s Faire: Saturdays and Sundays from Aug. 31 to Oct. 20 from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., as well as Labor Day and Columbus Day; 235 Main St., Carver; $34 GA, $17 for kids ages 4-11; all ages)
